The Latest

Deer Science

Weak Excuses and Legitimate Concerns of Late-Season Doe Harvest

Dec 11, 2024 Kip Adams

During my career as a deer biologist, I’ve heard many weak excuses for why hunters pass up opportunities at antlerless deer late in the hunting season. I’m sure you’ve heard some of them, too. Conversely,…

Hunting

The Rut’s Winding Down. Now What?

Dec 4, 2024 Brian Grossman

As deer hunters, we eagerly anticipate the the rut — that magical time of year when deer movement is at its peak, and you never know what may show up in front of your deer…

Venison

How to Make Venison Roast Beast Sandwiches

Dec 3, 2024 Evan Barrett

Editor’s Note: Evan Barrett of Michigan learned to hunt deer through NDA’s Field to Fork program, and he has continued to participate in the program as a mentor to other new hunters. As a professional…

Deer Science

How Long Before You See Bigger Deer After Improving Nutrition?

Nov 20, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

You were present in your maternal grandmother’s womb. I know this is a strange way to begin a story about deer, but stay with me: It’s the simplest way to explain an important concept of…

NDA Podcasts

Techniques for Hunting the Rut and Beyond With Michael Perry

Nov 20, 2024 Brian Grossman

In this week’s episode of the Deer Season 365 podcast, we discuss rut-hunting strategies with Michael Perry of Alabama as he follows the rut across his home state and beyond. Michael has killed some tremendous…

Hunting

8 Ways Hunters in CWD Zones Can Fight for Healthy Deer

Nov 13, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

For many deer hunters in North America, chronic wasting disease is the new normal. If you hunt in a county where CWD has been found in deer, you aren’t alone. The disease has been found…

Hunting

Top-10 States in Mature Buck Harvest

Nov 13, 2024 Kip Adams

Deer hunters in the United States are taking more mature bucks than ever in modern history. That’s true both as a percentage of the antlered buck harvest and in actual numbers of bucks harvested. This…

Hunting

Why Bucks “Vanish” When They Are Tending Does, and How to Find Them

Nov 6, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

I’ve been hunting deer for 40 years, and I’ve never seen it. Only a few of the veteran deer hunters I know have seen it, and even those encounters were fleeting glimpses. Many wildlife biologists…

NDA Podcasts

Buck Behavior During the Rut With Wildlife Photographer Tes Randle Jolly

Nov 6, 2024 Brian Grossman

In this episode of the Deer Season 365 podcast, we talk with wildlife photographer Tes Randle Jolly all about her observations of various buck (and doe) behavior leading up to and during the rut. Tes…

Hunting

Hunting Deer Out of State Means Different Planning in the CWD Age

Nov 5, 2024 Bruce and Elaine Ingram

On a recent Saturday during one of West Virginia’s antlerless deer firearm seasons, I drove 56 miles from my Virginia home to my Monroe County, West Virginia land, which I bought in 2008 so I…

Deer Science

Does Weather Impact Deer Movement? Here’s What We Know

Oct 30, 2024 Brian Grossman

As hunters, we’re always looking for the slightest edge we can gain to improve our odds of success in the field. We buy the latest gear, read up on all the latest hunting tips and…

NDA Podcasts

Rut Hunting Techniques for Whitetails You May Not Have Thought of With Nick Pinizzotto and Mike Groman

Oct 30, 2024 NDA Staff

It’s the most magical time in the deer woods, the rut! If you’re still holding a buck tag you know the best is yet to come in terms of overall deer activity and you’re probably…

Deer Science

Three Reliable Ways to Test Deer for CWD

Oct 28, 2024 Dr. Jenn Ballard

While the full impact of chronic wasting disease (CWD) on wildlife populations, hunting culture and conservation continues to come to light, it is already clear that this disease will be part of a new normal…

Hunting

How Much Venison Can You Expect From Your Deer?

Oct 23, 2024 Elizabeth Kligge

From scouting, to the thrill of the hunt itself, to the food we are able to procure, deer hunting is a year-round source of enjoyment. And when it comes to putting venison in the freezer,…

Habitat

How to Fix Overgrazed Food Plots, Now and Later

Oct 23, 2024 Mark Turner

I’ve visited many properties managed for deer across the eastern United States, and the number one most consistent problem I see is overabundant deer populations. This problem becomes apparent quickly when you step into an…

NDA Podcasts

How to Consistently Kill Mature Bucks Where You Hunt With Dan Infalt, Andy May, Jeremy Aron, and More

Oct 23, 2024 NDA Staff

In this week’s episode of the Deer Season 365 podcast, we tap into over three years worth of episodes to provide you with the best deer hunting advice we’ve received along the way. We cover…

Habitat

Deer Are King, But Deer Habitat is Great for Another Monarch

Oct 21, 2024 Kip Adams

As hunters who manage wildlife habitat, one of the biggest satisfactions we get is seeing deer and other animals using it. Well, one species that uses it and can really use our help is the…

Deer Science

6 Facts You Really Need to Know About Buck Home Ranges, and 1 You Don’t

Oct 16, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

We know a lot about whitetail buck home ranges, those phantom zones on the landscape where bucks spend most of their lives. We may even know too much about them. In a review of the…

Deer Science

Cryptorchid Bucks, Antlered Does, And Other Rare Deer Defy the Ordinary

Oct 16, 2024 Cole Gander

Every year a lucky few deer hunters are fortunate enough to encounter rare deer that defy the usual patterns of antler growth and reproductive biology. These include cryptorchid bucks, does with antlers, and other unusual…

NDA Podcasts

Realistic and Effective Scent Control Techniques with Sam Burgeson of Wildlife Research Center

Oct 16, 2024 NDA Staff

When you talk to the most successful deer hunters, most agree that controlling human odor is the primary factor determining success. Simply put, you can do everything else right but if you are lackadaisical with…

Hunting

How to Keep CWD Away From the Deer You Hunt

Oct 14, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

Though chronic wasting disease (CWD) continues to spread to new areas of the whitetail’s range, most deer in North America remain unaffected for now. Here are six very simple steps you can take as a…

Deer Science

Video: 19 Fascinating Deer Behaviors Explained

Oct 9, 2024 Kip Adams

White-tailed deer are fascinating animals. Wildlife enthusiasts pursue deer with rifles, bows, cameras and more. Their beauty and grace are well known, and much has been written about super cool deer facts like antler growth…

Hunting

How to Clean a Deer Skull for a European Mount

Oct 9, 2024 Cheyne Matzenbacher

Skull mounts, also known as a European mount or Euro mount, have long been a great way to preserve and display a memorable deer harvest. Back in a time when it was difficult to preserve…

NDA Podcasts

The October Lull and Why Summer Bucks Disappear With Kip Adams

Oct 9, 2024 NDA Staff

In this week’s episode of the Deer Season 365 podcast, Kip Adams and I dive into the fallacy of the October lull and how to get back in the game when that buck you’ve been…

Hunting

Using Data and Common Sense to Minimize Deer Hunting Pressure

Oct 2, 2024 Josh Honeycutt

Spooking deer happens in many ways. Seeing hunters walk in the field. Hearing hunters walk or talk. Ground scent left behind during the trek in or out. Direct wind scent straight up the nostrils. These…

Hunting

The Most Perplexing Question in All of Deer Hunting

Oct 2, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? Are we alone in the universe? What is the greatest treestand snack of all time? You’ve pondered these and other great mysteries, but they all…

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Whether you are a landowner, or a hunter who leases land or is a member of a hunting club, hunting land liability insurance is essential because both parties assume some legal risk while on a property.

Landowners have a duty to guests and those paying to hunt (leaseholders). Hunters need liability insurance to protect themselves, other members of their hunting group, and even guests against acts for which they could be held legally responsible.

It is simply not worth risking your personal assets or your family’s financial security for unfortunate accidents or acts of others on the property you hunt.

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How State Wildlife Agencies Are Funded, and What It Means for Deer Hunters

Dec 10, 2024 Catherine Appling-Pooler

As deer hunters, we have a direct stake in how our state wildlife agencies are funded. These agencies play a crucial role in managing wildlife populations, protecting habitats, and promoting sustainable hunting practices. However, recent…

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